Drying machine conveyer and transfer mechanism



Dec. 8, 1953 G. KENNEY 2,661,831

DRYING MACHINE CONVEYER AND TRANSFER yMECHANISM Filed Jan. 3, 1951 v5 Shee'lS--Shee1'l l I mm gw@ dfi/(y L. G. KENNEY DRYING MACHINE CONVEYER AND TRANSFER MECHANISM Filed Jan. 5, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. v BY i? ammdf/d/w e0 @JL/wenn De@ 3 19753 L. G. KENNEY 2,661,831

DRYING MACHINE coNvEYER AND TRANSFER MECHANISM Filed Jan. 5, 1951 5 sheets-sheet 5 IN VEN T 0R.

leg, nney Dec. 8,'1953' 2,661,831

L. G. KENNEY DRYING MACHINE CONVEYER AND TRANSFER MECHANISM Filed Jan. 3, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 D *l INVENTOR.

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Dec. 8, 1953 L. G. KENNl-:Y 2,661,831

DRYING MACHINE CONVEYER AND TRANSFER MECHANISM Filed Jan. 5, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Dec. 8, 1953 DRYJNG-MACHINE .CQNVEYER .AN-D TRANSFER MECHANISM i Leo" Gl'iKenney, Chicago, Ill.

.ADPlicatiomJanuary 3, 1951,Serial.-N o; 204,195

iThisinvention' relates tofdrying machines and is'morev particularlyconcerned with the provision of a machine 'suitable forxusein'drying inks, laclquersgpaints, enamelspjglues, varnishes .and the `like; when appliedto 'various .materials, such' as paper; berboard, metal, glass," fabric and wood.

While the .drying machine :hereinafter described :is adapted for use indryingvarious types of'materi'als *it is particularlydesigned .and conn '8GlaimS. (01.198-84) ."2 ""Ihis invention further contemplates the: provision of. a drying. machineincludinga' .housing ...in which the printed. sheets are Arlrst 'directed 'throughaidrying space. and. thence through .a vapor space to relax the dried. sheets'prior to stack- .ing same.

`structedj for use; indrying. printing mediums ap- "l :it hasbeen'found'necessaryvto employ a conveyor approximately` 90 feet.- in` length. to" handle' 'the lproduction of one 'stencil printing machine. A`lt will thus Vbe appreciated that aA re1a'tivelyjlarge proportion of the'oortspace of aA printing plant =.25

is A"devoted to drying conveyors. or racks. The presentinvention contemplates" theprovision of 'ai' relatively small .,drying machinedesigned to fcorrespondlin size. With and .to *handle` .the outi 'is Vsheets. `In *the use ofien'dlessdrying conveyorsfo This' inventionI further contemplates. the provision of a drying machine embodying. a .shuttle mechanism operable to movethejsheets backand forth between two stacks of. shelvesgdisposed in staggered relation `whereby lthesheets .arepro gressively transferred 'stepebyrstep.fromilthel top shelves .toward the 1. bottom fshelves .and.thence onto a stacking platform.

This invention embodies .other .novel features,

details of construction .andarrangementoi parts which are hereinafter. set`fo11th1in the speciica- :tion and. claims, Vandlfillustrate'd .in the `accom- .'panying drawings, wherein:

"Fig: 1.,is a sideieleva'tional,view.partly,in section, illustrating a "drying, machine embddying features of the present invention. Y

.Fig.'2 jis .a sectional View'taken.along,1thej.line

Eig. 3 is an .enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken alongjtheline 3-1-3. of EigfLZ.

'Fig.; 4 is a transverse sectional View. taken along theline 444. .of Fig. 3.

'Figs.' 5 .and 6. are...schematic-.longitudinal.sec-

-pui-of Va stencillprinting machine of.the' typejdis 30 tional viewsillustrating the.manneninwhichthe -'closed in .the aforesaid patent,..`thereby .making it .possiblelto installpseveral .stencil printingmachines uand machine dryers in the .spaceheretc- `fore occupied' byfdrying racks andconveyors.

"This invention. further contemplates .Li-.herroflsion. of..a.drying ma`chine,..mcuntedmithinan insulated .cabinet in .which vlthe;temperature, ,humidity and movementotthe sheets are, controlled .to; gradually .dry. .the printing medium .without distorting the she'ets.and then to.. automatically 'stack thedriedsheetsat room .temperature In `the.use-of..dtherl types .ot equpmentaheretofore employed in drying printed stencil sheets, a con- .siderableamount of.. time andlabor was required to rackand unrack' the sheets. It isfalsowell known thatgithesheets .were .subjectedtddust and dirt entrained in thev 'ain andwere oftendistorted or otherwise damagedjdue .to 'slow drying conditions. methods ofhari'dlins, etc.

L This invention.` further. contemplates the... pro- Vision of a. drying ,machineembodyinga plurality of"infra.red lamps .disposed-Lto directpifrafred rays.. againstthe. printed sheets theaintensity` of .the rays, being. contrdlled to.. vsuit the type of printing mdium impressed uponthe sheets.

printedsheets .are..progressively transferredstepibyfstep. from.j.the.,upper shelves, toward .the lower shelves.

LEig. 'lis a` detail .perspective viewillustrating a .pivot nger..provided .on .the shuttle 4mechanism for .engagement .with .prin-ted; sheet material..v disposed upon the loading shelf.

Fig 8.-is.a schematic viewillustratingthe clutch .mechanism .in its disengaged. position.

bers 3d` andJaare-secured tothe lupper, endsof the corner posts 33...and` 4-.4, lrespectively,...to support a pair-.of top-tracks ..5-,5;disposed..in a common plane and.. in-` spaced Yparallel relation. A .pair of lower tracks ,.STS.. aresecured .at .their ends. tothe front. and.. rear .corlflel-sposts. and 4-4 and are disposed in spaced parallel relation with respect to the top tracks and each other.

A carriage, indicated generally at is mounted for reciprocative movement along the tracks 5 5 and 6 5 and is shown as comprising a pair of side frames 8 8 secured in spaced parallel relation by means of cross frames 9 and I0 and angle plates I I I l, the several parts being preferably secured together by means of bolts or rivets. Each side frame 8 is provided with two sets of rollers I2 |2 and i3 |3 for rolling engagement against opposite sides of its adjacent top track 5. Connecting plates |4 |4 are secured at their upper ends to their respective side frames 8 8, and each plate is secured at its lower end to a roller mounting member i6. Each member |6 supports two sets of rollers l`| |1 and I8 |8 for rolling engagement along opposite sides of its adjacent lower track 6.

A front push rod support I9 and a rear push rod support 2| are arranged in spaced parallel relation transversely of the carriage 1 and are secured at their ends to the roller mounting members |6 |6 by means of bolts 22. A plurality of vertically disposed front push rods 23 are secured intermediate their ends to the front support I9, and a plurality of vertically disposed rear push rods 24 are secured intermediate their ends to the rear support 2l. The push rods 23 and 24 are preferably mounted within apertures formed in their respective supports I9 and 2| and adjustably engaged by means of set screws 29. A ringer 25 is pivotally mounted upon the upper end of each front push rod 23, as illustrated in Fig. '1.

A front shelving 21 is shown as comprising a pair of shelf supports 28-28 secured at their lower ends to the base 2 and projecting upwardly in spaced parallel relation to support a plurality of shelves 29 disposed in horizontal planes and spaced one above the other. Each shelf 29 preferably comprises a plurality of supporting nngers 3| secured in spaced parallel relation along a nnger support 32 which, in turn, is secured at its ends to the shelf supports 28-23.

A rear shelving 33, similar in construction to the front shelving 21, is shown as comprising a pair of shelf supports 34 34 secured at their lower ends to the base 2 and proj ecting upwardly in spaced parallel relation to engage and support a plurality of shelves 36 disposed horizontally in spaced parallel relation and one above the other. Each shelf 38 comprises a plurality of fingers 31 secured to finger supports 38 which, in turn, are secured to the shelf supports 34-34. By referring to Figs. 1, 3, 5 and 6 in the drawings, it will be observed that the front shelving 21 faces toward the rear shelving 33 and that the latter faces toward the front shelving. It will also be noted that the front shelves 29 are disposed in staggered relation with respect to the rear shelves 36.

A pair of transverse frame members 4| 4l are secured at their ends to the corner posts 3 3 and 4 4, respectively, to support therebetween a pair of longitudinally extending guide supports 42-42. A guide member 43 is mounted on each support 42 by means of brackets 44, the guides being disposed in spaced parallel relation to initially guide a sheet of printed material S into and through the machine.

To convey sheets of printed material S into the machine, a pair of arms 48 are secured at one of their ends to the carriage cross frame 9 and are connected at their other ends to a relatively thin angle-shape member `4l' which is adapted to slide along a feed platform 48 secured to the transverse frame member 3a.

A pair of sprocket chains 5| 5I are mounted on driving sprockets 52-52 and driven sprockets 53-53 journaled in bearings 54-54 and 56 56, respectively. The bearings 54 54 and 56-56 are mounted upon the longitudinally extending guide supports 42-42. Drive pins 51-51 are secured to the sprocket chains 5| 5I for pivotal engagement with one of the ends of connecting links 58-58 which are pivotally connected at their other ends to the carriage 1. The driving sprockets 52-52 are keyed to a driving shaft 59 having a conventional clutch mechanism 6| mounted thereon. The clutch mechanism 6I is provided with a driven pulley 62 to receive a belt 63 which extends around a driving pulley 64 of a conventional power transmission unit 6B. A motor 91 acts through a driving pulley 68, a belt 69 and a driven pulley 1| to transmit power through the power transmission unit 66 to the driving pulley 64. The clutch mechanism 6I may be of any conventional type embodying a clutch sleeve 1| movable axially of the shaft 59 to cause a clutch mechanism to frictionally engage and disengage the shaft 59.

The clutch sleeve 1| is pivotally connected to one of the ends of a pair of links 12 which have their other ends pivotally connected at 13 to a toggle link 11| pivotally connected at 16 to the adjacent top track 5. A connecting link 11 is pivotally connected at 13 to the links 12 and 14 and is also pivotally connected at 18 to a lever 19 journaled at 8| on the adjacent guide support 42. A connecting link 82 is pivotally connected at one of its ends to the lever 19 and is pivotally connected at its other end to a foot pedal 83 mounted for pivotal movement at 84 on the base 2. A connecting link B6 is pivotally connected at 18 to the lever 19 and is also pivotally connected at 81 to a rocker arm 88 supported for pivotal movement on a bracket 89 secured to the transverse frame member 3a. A push rod 9| is mounted upon the carriage 1 for engagement with the free end of the rocker arm 88 during movement of the carriage 1 in one direction.

The machine is enclosed within an insulated housing 92 comprising a top 93, side walls 94 94, a front wall 96 and a back wall 91. Doors 98 and 99 are provided in a side wall 94 and the back wall 91 to permit access to the interior of the housing. If desired, a plate glass window |9| may be provided on one of the side walls 94 to permit visual inspection of parts within the interior of the housing. A plurality of infra-red lamps |02 are supported on the top wall 93 of the housing 92 to direct infra-red rays downwardly toward the shelves 36. The infra-red lamps |02 are preferably mounted within a socket housing |93 provided with openings at |94 for the passage of heated air from the interior of the housing 92. A water tank |66 is supported upon the base 2 of the machine.

In the operation of the drying machine thus shown and described, stencil printed sheets are delivered directly from a stencil printing machine to the drying machine to dry the ink, paint or other printing medium applied to the sheets. The printed sheets are placed upon the platform 48 and are drawn into the machine by the angleshape transverse member 41 engaged to the ends of the arms 46-45, as illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings. During return movement of the carriage 1, the printed sheet S is dropped onto the ace nasi i top aslelf abflthezstack ofshelves MRJLWhen the carriage; 1r.movesgtolgtharightgasgiillnstrated in Fig. ,5, the 1i`rige'rs`25` on the push rods 23 engage vlthe? 'earward edge of thesheetSto moye the` lat- The machine is preferably operated through a clutch control mechanism manually operable to initiate movement of the carriage 1 and having means for automatically stopping the movement of the carriage 1 after each cycle of operation of the carriage 1. As illustrated schematically in Figs. 8 and 9 in the drawings, the operator pivots the foot pedal 83 which acts through the connecting link 82, lever 19, connecting link 11, toggle link 14 and connecting link 12 to engage the clutch 1| and thus cause the motor '61 to turn the driving shaft 59. The carriage 1 is thus caused to move to the right, as illustrated in Fig. 1, and thence to the left. During the return movement of the carriage 1 the stop arm 9| provided on the carriage 1 acts to pivot the lever 88 which acts through the connecting links 86 and 11, toggle link 14 and connecting link 12 to disengage the clutch 1| to stop rotational movement of the drive shaft 59 and movements of the carriage 1. It is apparent, however, that the stop arm 9| on the carriage 1 could be removed or moved out of operative position to permit the carriage 1 to operate continuously until manually stopped by the operator.

As the printed sheets S are shuttled back and forth between the two stacks of shelves 21 and 33, the rays and/or heat from the infra-red lamps |02 act to dry theprinting medium on the sheets without causing distortion of same. To further maintain the printed sheets in a relaxed flat condition, a reservoir |06 lled with water is provided on the base 2 to add moisture to the air within the cabinet 92 during operation of the machine. When the printed sheets have been deposited in stacked relation upon the stacking platform ||0, the printing medium on the sheets is thoroughly dried and the sheets are ready for delivery to the customer.

While this invention has been shown in but one form, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a machine for drying articles, two fixed stacks of shelves, adjacent sides of said stacks being spaced apart and arranged face-to-face, the shelves of one stack being disposed in staggered relation with respect to the shelves of the other stack, and means including interconnected sets of push rods extending vertically through their respective stacks of shelves to move articles back F and forth between the two stacks of shelves to cause the articles to descend through the machine.

2. In a machine for drying articles, a structure supported for horizontal reciprocative `6 -movement.andrmcludingtwofinterconnectedsets sof. verticallyidisposedpushbrodsltozmoveiarticles :i,backeandiorthiwithinith'machineg andsmeans 'zircludingi a fpluralitynofffxedastacks l"ofE slifelves, adjacent isidesc'nfafsaidsta'cksibeing l:spaced` apart, --.the: sshelvesl-off adiacent-istacksbeing disposed `jin asta-ggered relationship'ito direct articles from-f an upper clevelf within1`lthelmachine'- to aE lower level responsive 5A to iafreciprocative *movement *of s'azid nstruicture. u

933.51m annachine orf-drying articles; a Y pair ""of 4sintercionnestedvverticallyv disposed'x pushers spaced y aparb'andz: supported for reciprocativamovemfent to alternatelyengage and move articles back 'and foiithawithini-thelfmachine, and two stacks of article supporting shelves arranged in iixed spaced relationship, adjacent sides of the stacks being spaced apart to dene a vertical passageway therebetween, the shelves of one stack being staggered with respect to the shelves of the other stack to direct the articles from an upper level within the machine to a lower level responsive to reciprocative movement of said pushers.

4. In a machine for drying articles, two xed stacks of shelves, adjacent sides of said stacks being spaced apart and arranged face-to-face, the shelves of one stack being disposed in staggered relation with respect to the shelves of the other stack, means to push articles back and forth between the two stacks of shelves, said means including a carriage, and two pushing elements depending from said carriage and through their respective stack of shelves to alternately engage an article.

5. In a machine for drying articles, two xed stacks of shelves, adjacent sides of said stacks being spaced apart and arranged face-to-face, the shelves of one stack being disposed in staggered relation with respect to the shelves of the other stack, a structure to push articles back and forth between the two stacks of shelves, said structure including a carriage mounted for reciprocative movement, two pushing elements depending from said carriage and through their respective stack of shelves to alternately engage opposite ends of an article, and means to drive said structure.

6. In a machine for drying articles, two fixed stacks of shelves, adjacent sides of said stacks being spaced apart and arranged face-to-face, the shelves of one stack being disposed in staggered relation with respect to the shelves of the other stack, a horizontally disposed track, a carriage mounted on said track and including two interconnected sets of pushers to alternately engage and push articles back and forth between the two stacks of shelves, each set of pushers extending vertically through its related stack of shelves, means to actuate said carriage, and means operable to stop the carriage after each cycle of operation` 1. In a machine for drying articles, two fixed stacks of shelves adjacent sides of said stacks being spaced apart and arranged face-to-face, the shelves of one stack being disposed in staggered relation with respect to the shelves of the other stack, means to push articles back and forth between the two stacks of shelves, said means including a carriage, and two pushing elements depending from said carriage and through their respective stack of shelves to alternately engage an article, and means secured on said carriage to engage and deliver an article to be dried onto the uppermost shelf of one of said stacks for engagement by said pushing elements.

8. In a machine for drying articles, two fixed ,stacks of shelves adjacent sides of said stacks being spaced apart and arranged face-to-face, the shelves of one stack being disposed in staggered relation with respect to the shelves of the other stack, means to push articles back and forth between the two stacks of shelves, said means including a carriage, tracks to support and guide -said carriage, and two pushing elements depending from said carriage, and through their respective stack of shelves to alternately engage an article, and means secured on said carriage to engage and deliver an article to be dried onto the uppermost shelf of one of said stacks for engagement by said pushing elements.

Y LEO G. KENNEY.

References Cited in the 111e of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Johnston Nov. 19, 1907 Dugan July 23, 1912 Walter, Jr. Sept. 11, 1917 l Putnam et a1. Oct. 4, 1921 Hewitt Sept. 18, 1934 Honigman Nov. 15, 1938 Maust Nov. 21, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain June 29, 1933 

